My Pepperoni Bread is probably one of the easiest things you could ever make. Seriously. And yet, people will think you are a culinary mastermind if you bust this out at your next gathering. This recipe comes from my mom. She always made it for parties, so now I follow in her footsteps.

I just use regular old pizza dough from Shop Rite that I always have stashed in my freezer. Place it in your refrigerator to thaw out the day before using.

I suppose the stress of making pepperoni bread has to with rolling out the dough. I recommend using a French rolling pin – which is a pin that does not have the American knobs on the side. A French pin distributes weight much more evenly, thus making it easier to roll out dough in an orderly formation. Also, flour your surface and the top of the dough frequently so that the dough does not stick to the pin or the surface. If you do get a tear, stay calm. Just press the dough together with your fingers and stay floured. Constantly flip the dough over and rotate while rolling it out. Go easy on your dough. It does not need a rough touch. Also take your dough out of the fridge for about 20 minutes before starting to roll it.

I recommend setting up the pepperoni bread a few hours before baking. Cover with kitchen towels to rise and chill out. Then when your guests are about to arrive, pop them in the oven. I bake one sheet at a time.

Pepperoni Bread

Recipe by Susan LeiserCourse: AppetizersCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

This recipe makes 4 pepperoni bread, which will feed 10-12 people as an appetizer.

Ingredients

• 2 1-lb bags of pizza dough

• 1.25 lbs. sliced pepperoni

• 1.25 lbs. sliced hot pepperjack cheese

• Drizzle of olive oil

Directions

• Drizzle olive oil on two baking sheets. Rub all over baking sheets with paper towels.
• Divide each 1 lb. ball of pizza dough in half so that you have four balls of dough.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one ball of pizza dough with rolling pin. The dough should measure about 8 inches by 12 inches.
• Cover dough with a layer hot pepper cheese. Cover hot pepper cheese with a layer of pepperoni.
• Starting at the end closet toward you, tightly roll the dough into a cylinder. Seal the ends by pinching the dough. Place roll on oiled baking sheet.
• Repeat with three other balls of dough and remaining pepperoni and cheese.
• You may place two rolls side by side, facing vertically, on the baking sheet.
• Cover with a clean dish towel for at least an hour or up to 8 hours until ready to bake.
• Bake one pan at a time at 400 degrees for 17 to 20 minutes. Rolls should be golden brown.
• Let bread rest for at least 10 minutes. Move bread to a cutting board a spatula. Slice with an electric knife or serrated knife and serve.